Food worship: the new pop cult?

It used to be that we only ate to live. Today, however, the role of food and cooking has changed and expanded. What used to be just ‘a tummy filler’ has become a way of entertainment, a fitting celebration, a form of self expression, a lifestyle, even a new culture! Just look at the television shows, online fora, blogs and newspaper articles – it’s all food, food, food, and more food. Food is as basic as it is. Yet in that realm, today’s generation is hungry for new preparations, innovations, creativity, new experiences, adventure, and something to talk about.

That’s why on its 10th anniversary, SM Hypermarket sets its sights on creating milestones with its SM Master Chefs program.First off, nineteen master brands: Knorr, Nestle All Purpose Cream, Unilever Food Solutions, Tabasco, Lee Kum Kee, Lady’s Choice, Maggi, Clara Ole, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, San Remo, McCormick, Bounty Fresh Chicken, CDO, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdog, Purefoods Star Hotdog, Magnolia Cheeze spread, Magnolia Purefresh, Magnolia All Purpose Cream and Magnolia Dari Crème – each a familiar staple in today’s Filipino kitchen, join SM Hypermarket to feed the culinary world’s insatiable hunger for innovation.

Together they will launch SM Master Chefs, a composite event made up of three components – a grand cooking demo, kitchen makeovers, and a set of cook-offs that are set to make foodie history.From July to September, every week in three months, SM Master Chefs will conduct a marathon of cooking demos that will tour SM Hypermarket branches all over the nation, showcasing innovations in culinary products and cooking aids. Not only will these demos serve as a source of entertainment for the onlookers, but also as a venue of culinary discovery for people who are passionate about cooking.

Alongside SM Master Chefs Cooking Marathon, two other monumental events will take place. One is the Kitchen Makeover, where five lucky shoppers will get the chance to have their kitchen redesigned and furnished. This project will be done in partnership with established designers from the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID).

Last but not the least, SM Hypermarket will also launch a series of Supersized Cook-off events set to make culinary records. Set in five different locations, each cook off will feature a regional dish and will be undertaken with the help of the local government units and the community.

Despite the new cult-like atmosphere that seems to have taken over the culinary world, there are still those like SM Hypermarket, who seek to unite all the diverse sects of foodie-dom under one banner. These five months are going to prove exciting for foodies, chefs, and onlookers as the store that has it all brings the message of attainable culinary excellence to every corner of the country. Just you wait and see.